Automatic clutch



Patented Jan. 19,

fAuroMATdfcmimoit-.

., This ,invention relatesto @new 'ma useful ritors. y,

-ia'trator drawn, `12rijoh will-atomatiea11y tor 1106101113; ff the V`line which is adapted t0 engage 'with -lafroot or provide eiuth 4-AJrlother object is ,to

hie srrietirethe mechanical means brezil-is Athe .Gntcult et Point L-lre- 'pleite dis-gram olf-thier ingsystem." .Y

ton'iiflin l"18 v`vv'hilejii opelm'tiom and for the purpose :oflexoludingousg and the liken'from Vthe lbegirliiigs, fasy Well as to supply theproper f' me'Izmipfmwi 113K), secured on the rear end; of the tractor @said frime," isY saturs-fw thrust @limp 6, restingfonthe ou'mvardlyextended arms Y -o-fpi1 shfrod- 8, lwhioh' controls the. depth of f runiiiig wheel V 9 ,by :thrusting the vcollar fof 'Y igtvlieel .'axl'egIOJf Adjusting lever 11 -mountedf'- .v o'iif'the toothed segment -12,}is secured to the shifterlpltev of ,traotorlKnQt Shown) j Y with'bolts laatje@ Awpw'ardly 'exte-d.- AT55 ed member 14 connected rto rod y5, .transmits inoyment ,from the haIidleVer 11, by 'means irieL-"to .protect the upperjportionuof ,pluiiger Sand a'liparts moiu'itdthereon bein'gheldfin `o`iitw`ard position means offtwo huge springsv 24,attached tothe .iri- ,'1 er `en'd ofthe plunger. shaft, salidf. to the .Diistproofbags 25,containing lriorioatilig -grea`;s'e, Aare securedto the o posite ends of the tub'eftoericlosethegeilds'o thefpluger shaft f ,moliiit of llibricant tothe movable-parts.

29,.,a'sgseenfin Figure l. vA-fsprocket wheel Vvsrorm (not shown), drivesthecllitchA sprockfeti?`A 31, whiohisa-seoiirfed ,to the y,adjacent end `of ith'e shaft mounted in lthefhousing 26,

L Tefrer'snd fof'the clutchxhousing' 26 is '.S'eored .to .the Chain h olisiiig .3v by means of y theboltsl 27 said chainvhousing bei'ngat- 'tachedito-1the ,tractor byv means of the bolts' v 128 Whilel the. forward endlV of .the clutch f hoiising is vvsuspended .by ,means oft the bolts by means of the chain 32, the fly wheel 33 being also mounted on the shaft 34. A forward movement of the foot pedal 35 frictionally engages the cone 36 with the fly wheel 33, causing the rotation of the pulley 37, and the inward movement of the plunger, by means of a connecting cable 36. Timing gears 39, mounted on the driven shaft 40, operate the gear 41, which has a laterally projecting pin 42, said gear 41 rotating once in the direction of the arrow, indicated in the drawing, when the pin 42 engages with the hooked end of the rod 44 disposed through the housing and connected to the clutch collar 36 and to the lower end of the pedal lever The gears are proportioned to release the clutch when the plunger is drawn inwardly to its maximum position.

The circuit is taken from the magneto of the tractor, through the terminal plug 46, and is connected to the switch post 47, on

the arm 48, passing through the receiving switch post 49 to the circuit breaker posts 50 and 51, to post 52 of the current rectifier, which is adjacent and properly connected to the rheostat 53', leaving the post 54, of the meter 54, and passing to the magnet post 55, and magnet 56. This causes the pivoted armature 57 to be attracted thereto.

This couples the shaft 34 to the shaft 40, "with the result that thegear 41 will be ro- 63, mounted on the shaft 40, and rotatable therewith, assure a. continuous lubrication to the clutch sleeve and bearings as shown.

VThe rectifier and rheostat, enclosed in the rear compartment of the housing 26, may be raised for adjustments. Plug 66 is adapted to drain impure oil from the housing 26. All of the switches and posts are properly insulated to insure perfect ignition.

A slight rearward movement of the switch arm. 48, upon coming into contact with a vine,

' closes the circuit at 47-49, which energizes the magnet 56, drawing the armature 57 thereto, which results in the movement ofthe cone 36 into frictional engagement with the fly wheel 33. This couples the shafts 34 and 40 so that they rotate as a unit, resulting in the rotation of the wheel 41, and the winding of the cable 38 on the drum 37. This winding of the cable draws the rod 18 inwardly, against the tension of the springs 24, and moves the hoe away from the vine, and to one side thereof. The continued rotation 0f the wheel 40 brings the pin 42 into engagement with the hooked end of the rod 44, resulting in the longitudinal movement of said rod and the withdrawing of the cone from Y the fly wheel, thus effecting disengagement of the shafts 34 and 40. Immediately upon release of the cone, from the fly wheel, the springs 24 project the hoe outward into position for further operation on the soil, and the shaft 40 and gear V,41 are rotated in a reverse direction, due to the unwinding action-of the cable 38. lThe Vdisengagement of the clutch cone and the breaking of the circuit at 51-60 are accomplished simultaneously.

I claim as my invention:

1. An automatic clutch mechanism including alined shafts, means for coupling the shafts, means for constantly driving one of y he shafts, means for actuating the coupling means, and means operable by the first shaft means and releasing the coupling actuating means.

2. The combination with a drive shaft, of adriven shaft, a clutch for couplingy the shafts, an electric circuit, a circuit closer in the circuit,'a clutch operating means vincluded in the circuit, and means operableA by the driven shaft for simultaneously opening the circuit closer and releasing the clutch. v

3. A clutch mechanism including Valined shafts, a clutch for coupling the shaft, electro-magnetically operable means for throwing in, the clutch, a circuit closer,a circuit breaker, means operable byone of the shafts for throwing out the clutch, and means operable by said shaft` for operating the circuit breaker simultaneously with the throwing out of the clutch. v Y

4. The combination with a drive shaft of a clutch mechanism including af winding shaft. clutchable with the drive shaft, an electric circuit, an electro-magnet in the circuit and including an armature operatively connected with the shiftable clutch member of the clutch mechanism, for moving the clutch member in one direction, a ,circuit breaker, a circuit closer, and means connected with the armature and operable by the winding shaft for simultaneously actuating the circuit breaker and withdrawing theV closer, and a circuit breaker included in the c circuit, means operable bythe electromagnet for engaging the clutch, a rotatable element driven by the driven shaft, means operable by the rotatable element for disengaging the clutch, and means operable bythe rotatable element for operating the circuit breaker.

6. The combination with a drive shaft and a driven shaft, of a clutch between the ,'shafts,l :Ln-electric oirourit including `@Ln @leeft-hooked ,arm ,:'rred by the yrinfttureY and tromagnet and .a oii'utbreaker, the. elero-f clutch' yfor engagement by and movement tromagnet including an armature operatively wthfthe rotatable element to disengagethe 10y 'connected with the elutoh for shifting the o1utch',said projection simultaneously engag- Y 5 latter into engagement,l aly rotatable element ing with and actuating the Acircuit breaker. v

driven by the driven shaftand hayingga 1a,t j In' testimony whereof Iaix mysignatu're.,

erally extending p in'andprojecton, Vmd va.' *o SARKIS/H. SUMBULIAN.V i 

